Closure operating device



April 28, 1959 F. R. SlMPSON CLOSURE OPERATING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 20, 1956 Api-il 28, 1959 F. R. SIMPSON CLOSURE OPERATING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 20, 1956 iNVENTOR. /4A Z J/WJQA ATTO a u avg April 28, 1959 F. RI SIMPSON CLOSURE OPERATING DEVICE s Sheets-Sheet :5

Filed- Jan. '20, 1956 ATTORNEYS 2,884,159 Patented Ap 28,1959

CLOSURE OPERATING DEVICE Frank R. Simpson, Upper Darby, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application January 20, 1956, Serial No. 560,403

7 Claims. (Cl. 220-57) This invention relates to an improved lid operating mechanism for opening and closing pressure vessels, and more particularly to a lid operating mechanism for the placement of lids in secure cooperative registration with openings in a pressure vessel and the removal of the lids therefrom.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved lid operating mechanism for the placement of a lid in cooperative registration with an opening in a pressure vessel and thereafter maintaining the lid in tight registered engagement with the opening.

Another object of this invention is to provide a lid operating mechanism capable of conveying a plurality of lids simultaneously into cooperative registration with a plurality of openings in a pressure vessel and thereafter maintaining all of the lids in tight registered engagement with the openings in the pressure vessel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mechanism for placing a plurality of closures in cooperative engagement with a plurality of openings in a pressure vessel, characterized by the inclusion of means for universally connecting the closures to the mechanism to promote better registration of the closures relative to the openings.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mechanism for operating a plurality of closures relative to a plurality of openings in a pressure vessel, characterized by the inclusion of a lost motion connection between such closures and the mechanism, permitting sequential removal of such closures from their respective openings.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a rigid inexpensive mechanism of the foregoing type having a simple construction to thereby facilitate maintenance of the mechanism and to promote the interchangeability of component parts.

The specific nature of this invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings on which, by way of preferred example only, are illustrated the preferred embodiments of this invention.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a lid operating mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side vertical sectional view at the line 22 on Fig. 1, showing the lid operating mechanism in its open and closed positions; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front vertical sectional view at the line 3-3 on Fig. 1, showing the lid operating mechanism in its closed and locked position.

In reference to Fig. 2, there is illustrated a pressure vessel 34, having a plurality of annular openings 34a in the top horizontal face of the pressure vessel 34. Four columnar supports 11 are provided in rectangularly spaced array around these pressure vessels 34. As best illustrated in Fig. 1, a rigid' substantially rectangular frame or lid carrier is suspended from the upright columnar supports 11 by means of a fulcrum rod 12 longitudinally traversing the lid carrier 10, thus defining a pivotal axis adjacent to the rearward side 10a of the lid carrier 10. The lid carrier 10 may be constructed of structural channel iron. A worm gear 13 is fixedly mounted upon a transverse side 10b of the lid carrier 10 in axial alignment with the pivotal axis of the lid carrier 10. The worm gear 13 defines a plurality of peripheral teeth 13a which rotationally engage a driving worm 14 which in turn is connected by a driving shaft 15 to a ratiomotor 16, shown in Fig. 2, mounted on a platform 11a extending laterally outward from one of the upright columnar supports 11. Preferably, a slip-clutch 17, shown in Fig. 2, is connected to the driving shaft 15 intermediate the ratiomotor 16 and the driving worm 14.

As best shown in Fig. 1, a sub-carrier 18, also comprising a substantially rectangular channel iron frame, is pivotally suspended from the lid carrier 10 by means of a. swing-shaft 19 which is parallel to the fulcrum rod 12 and located to overlie the central portion of the pressure vessel 34. The swing-shaft 19 has end portions 19a rotatably supported by end bearings 20 which are secured to the transverse sides 10b of the lid carrier 10. The sub-carrier 18 is freely suspended from the swing-shaft 19 by means of a pair of journal bearings 21 mounted on the transverse sides 18a of the sub-carrier 18. As best shown in Fig. 2, connected to the bottom 18b of the subcarrier 18 are a plurality of depending lid suspension bolts 22 positioned on both sides of the axis of oscillation of the sub-carrier 18 and in axial alignment with the pressure vessel openings 34a. The lower end portion 22a of each of the lid suspension bolts 22 defines a substantially enlarged head portion 22b having a partially rounded downwardly facing surface 22c. Swivelly suspended from the enlarged head portion 22b of each of the lid suspension bolts 22 is a lifting-block 23. The swivel con-, nection between each lid suspension bolt 22 and liftingblock 23 is characterized by a cavity 23a defined in the, bottom surface 23b of the lifting-block 23 which in addition to permitting rotational movement of the liftingblock 23 relative to the lid suspension bolts 22 also permits limited axial movement of the enlarged head portion 22b of the lid suspension bolts 22 within the cavity 23a, thus providing a lost motion connection.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, a lid 24 is secured to each lifting-block 23 by means of a plurality of marginally spaced bolts 25 traversing each lifting-block 23 and threaded into the top surface 24a of the lid 24. Additionally, each lifting-block 23 and depending lid 24 are maintained in axial alignment relative to each other by the bolts 25. Each lid 24 has an inner face 24b defining an annular sealing ring 240 adapted to cooperatively close the annular openings 34a in pressure vessel 34.

A locking mechanism, illustrated in Fig. 1, is provided to lock the lid carrier 10 relative to the pressure vessel 34 when the lids 24 are in their closed position. Mounted on the upper surface of the forward side of the lid carrier 10 is an oscillatable lock actuator gear 26 having a plurality of peripheral teeth 26a and having a pair of marginal driving pins 26b extending laterally therefrom. To each of the driving pins 26b there is a pivotally connected plunger 27 by means of a link 28. As represented in Fig. 3, each of the plungers 27 defines a wedge-shaped outer end portion 27b. Mounted upon each corner of the forward side 100 of the lid carrier 10 there is a guide block 29 defining a bore 29a therethrough adapted to axially receive and to snugly support the plungers 27. In axial alignment with and outwardly disposed from each of the guide blocks 29, a locking block 30 is rigidly mounted upon the upright columnar support 11. Each locking-block 30 defines a tapered opening 30a, therein, to cooperatively slidably engage the wedge-shaped outer end portion 27b of one of the plungers 27 to produce a downwardly directed wedging action upon the plunger 27 when. the plunger 27 is forcibly introduced therein. As

illustrated in Fig. I, a driving worm 31 engaging the peripheral teeth 26a of the lock actuator gear 26 is also mounted upon the lid carrier and has a driving shaft 32 connected to a ratiomotor 33, likewise securely mounted upon the lid carrier 10. Preferably, a slipclutch 36 is connected to the driving shaft 32 intermediate the ratiomotor 33 and the driving worm 31.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, overhead filling hoppers 37 are suitably mounted between the columnar supports 11 for vertical upward and downward movement. These filling hoppers 37 may be moved downward when the lid carrier 10 is in an open position, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 2, to fill the pressure vessel 34 with material to be processed. The material is introduced into the annular openings 34a in the pressure vessel 34 between the annular cores 34b and the annular inner walls 340 of the pressure vessel 34. The filling hoppers 37 are then returned to the overhead position illustrated. Subsequently, the lid carrier 10 moves the lids 24 into tight cooperative engagement with the openings 34a in the pressure vessel 34.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, in moving the lid carrier 10 from the Open position to a closed position, the ratiomotor 16 drives the worm 14 which in turn rotates the worm gear 13 in relatively slow counterclockwise movement. The worm gear 13, when so rotated, pivots the lid carrier It to which it is securely attached, about the fulcrum rod 12 until the lid carrier 10 has attained a position overlying the openings 34:: in the pressure vessel 34. While the lid carrier 10 is being so pivoted, the sub-carrier 18 freely swings upon the swing-shaft 19 and thereby maintains a substantially horizontal position throughout the entire pivotal travel of the lid carrier 10. The lids 24 upon engaging the openings 34a in the pressure vessel 34 remain stationary, and the downward movement of the lid carrier 10 is interrupted by a limit switch, not illustrated.

After the lids 24 have engaged the pressure vessel 34, and the lid carrier 10 has ceased its downward movement, another limit switch, not shown, starts the ratiomotor 33, as best illustrated in Fig. l, which in turn revolves the driving worm 31 and rotates the lock actuator gear 26. The lock actuator gear 26, when so rotated, moves the driving pins 2612, which in turn, drive the pivotally connected links 28 outward. As best illustrated in Fig. 3, the links 23, accordingly, drive the plungers 27 axially through the guide blocks 29 and into the tapered openings 39a in the locking-blocks 30. The wedgeshaped end portions 27b of the plungers 27 cooperate with the tapered openings 30a in the locking-blocks 30 to produce a downwardly directed wedging action which is transmitted by the plungers 27 to the guide blocks 29 and lid carrier 10 to urge the enlarged head portions 221) of the lid suspension bolts 22 into forcible contact with the outer faces 24a of the lids 24. When the enlarged head portions 2217 are forcibly urged against the lids 24 the partially rounded downwardly facing surfaces 220 of the enlarged head portions 22b act as single point contacts upon the outer faces 24a of the lids 24 to thereby urge the lids 24 and the annular sealing rings 24c into proper engagement with the annular openings 34a in the pressure vessel 34, but permit any lateral relative movement required by the seating of the lids 24. After the lids 24 have been properly seated with the annular openings 34a and the slip-clutch 36 has applied the desired amount of locking pressure to the lids 24 a limit switch, not shown, turns off the ratiomotor 33.

After the lids 24 have been scaled and locked in engagement with the openings 34a in the pressure vessel 34, the material. in the pressure vessel 34 may be processed under the desired conditions of temperature and pressure.

To return the lid carrier 10 and lids 24 from this closed position to the original open position the ratiomotor 33 is rotated in a reverse direction to thereby disengage the plungers 27 from the locking-blocks 30. The other ratiomotor 16is' then, likewise, slowly driven in reverse direction, to turn the worm gear 13 in a clockwise direction. As the worm gear 13 is slowly rotated in a clockwise direction, the lid carrier 11 is gradually pivoted upward. The lost motion connection characterized by each lid suspension bolt 22 cooperating with a lifting-block 23 permits the lid carrier 10 to travel a limited distance upward before the enlarged head portions 22b of the lid suspension bolts 22 engage the lifting-blocks 23 and disengage the lids 24 from the pressure vessel 34. The provision of the lost motion connection thereby reduces the initial amount of starting torque required to pivot the lid carrier 10 toward the open position. After the lid carrier 10 has reached the original open position a limit switch, not shown, shuts off the ratiomotor 16.

The processed material in the presusre vessel 34 may then be removed, and the entire process repeated.

An exceptional advantage of this invention resides in the manner in which the lid carrier 10 may be pivoted to an open position remote from the pressure vessel 34. The remote open position of the lid carrier 10 and the depending lids 24 provides a substantially clear and unobstructed working area immediately above and about the pressure vessel 34 to facilitate the processing of material, and maintenance of the processing apparatus.

Additionally, the lid operating mechanism provides a relatively simple structure that is capable of conveying several closures or lids 24simultaneouslyinto cooperative engagement with a pressure vessel 34 while still aflording to the lids 24 universal movement relative to the lid carrier 10 to expedite the proper closed and sealed relationship between the: lids 24 and their respective openings 34a in the pressure vessel 34. In this manner misalignment's due to temperature variations, wear or tolerance accumulations are accommodated without interfering with the sealing action of the lids 24.

Another innovation residing in this invention which cooperates advantageously with the lid carrying apparams is the provision of a remotely positioned single locking mechanism which simultaneously locks all of the lids 24 in relatively uniform sealed engagement with the pressure vessel 34, to thereby reduce the operating time required in locking the lids 24 in their closed position by obviating the necessity of operating several individual locking devices. The remote positioning of the locking mechanism, like the lid carrier 10, also affords a substantially unobstructed working area immediately above and about the pressure vessel 34.

The lost motion connections provided by the cooperation of the lid suspension bolts 22 and the lifting-blocks 23 are particularly advantageous in reducing the starting torque required to start the lid carrier 10 into movement toward its open position. The lost motion connections permit the inertia developed by the moving lid carrier 10 to be utilized in overcoming possible adhesion between the engaged lids 24 and pressure vessel 34, such as might be produced by frictional adherence, and expansion or contraction of the engaged structures.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be modified through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a pressure vessel having a plurality of spaced openings therein, a lid carrier shiftably mounted relative to said pressure vessel for movement between. a closed position adjacent to said openings and an openposition remote from said openings, a plurality of lids adapted to cooperate with said openings, means connecting said lids to said lid carrier in a spaced array corresponding to said openings, said connecting means defining a pivotal axis connection disposed intermediate at least two of said lids for pivotal movement of said lids relative to said lid carrier, power means for shifting said lid carrier between said open and said closed positions, thereby registering said lids with said openings, and means for rigidly securing said lid carrier relative to said vessel to maintain said lids and said openings in said pressure vessel in tightly closed relationship.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said means for universally pivotally securing said lids to said lid carrier includes a lost motion connection permitting said carrier to move a limited direction away from said closed position independently of said lids, whereby said lids are shifted from their closed position subsequent to initial movement of said lid carrier toward said open position.

3. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said last-mentioned means comprises an actuator oscillatably mounted on said lid carrier, a pair of oppositely disposed plungers pivotally connected to said actuator, each of said plungers defining a Wedge-shaped outer end portion, a pair of oppositely disposed locking-blocks fixedly mounted with respect to said pressure vessel, each of said locking-blocks defining an opening therein having a tapered surface adapted to cooperate with said wedge-shaped end portion of one each of said plungers to urge said lid carrier toward said pressure vessel to thereby severally lock said lids and said pressure vessel concurrently in tightly closed relationship.

4. In combination with a pressure vessel having a pair of openings, a lid carrier shiftably mounted relative to said vessel for movement between a closed position adjacent to said openings and an open position remote from said openings, a pair of lids respectively adapted for cooperation with said openings, a sub-carrier having a central portion independently pivotally suspended from said lid carrier, means for universally pivotally securing said lids to opposite ends of said sub-carrier, power means for shifting said lid carrier between said open and closed positions, thereby registering said lids with said openings, and means for rigidly securing said lid carrier relative to said pressure vessel to maintain said lids and said openings in said pressure vessel in tightly closed relationship.

5. The combination defined in claim 4, wherein said means for universally pivotally securing said lids to said sub-carrier includes a lost motion connection permitting said lid carrier to move a limited direction away from said closed position independently of said lids, whereby said lids are sequentially shifted from their closed position by movement of said lid carrier toward said open position.

6. In combination with a pressure vessel having a plurality of spaced openings in the top planar face thereof, a lid carrier horizontally pivotally mounted relative to said pressure vessel for pivotal movement between a closed position adjacent to said openings and an open position remote from said openings, a sub-carrier having a central portion horizontally pivotally suspended from said lid carrier, a plurality of lids adapted for cooperation with said openings, means for universally pivotally securing said lids to said sub-carrier at opposite sides of said sub-carrier pivotal axis, power means for pivoting said lid carrier between said open and said closed positions, thereby registering said lids with said openings, and means for rigidly securing said lid carrier relative to said pressure vessel to maintain said lids and said openings in said pressure vessel in tightly closed relationship.

7. In combination with a pressure vessel having a plurality of spaced openings therein, a lid carrier independently and shiftably mounted relative to said vessel and alternately movable between a closed position adjacent to said openings and an open position remote from said openings, a plurality of lids arranged to register with and close said openings when said lid carrier is positioned adjacent to said openings, means for securing said lids to said lid carrier, power means for shifting said lid carrier between said open and closed positions, an actuator oscillatably mounted on said lid carrier, a pair of oppositely disposed plungers pivotally connected to said actuator, each of said plungers defining a wedge-shaped outer end portion, a pair of oppositely disposed locking-blocks fixedly mounted with respect to said pressure vessel, each of said locking-blocks defining an opening therein having a tapered surface adapted to cooperate with said wedgeshaped end portion of one each of said plungers to urge said lid carrier toward said pressure vessel to thereby severally lock said lids and said pressure vessel concurrently in tightly closed relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 219,290 Minot et al Sept. 2, 1879 235,549 McDermaid Dec. 14, 1880 622,546 Shaw Apr. 4, 1899 972,674 Bolz Oct. 11, 1910 1,799,905 Jacobs Apr. 7, 1931 2,078,003 Klein Apr. 20, 1937 2,203,638 Smaltz et al June 4, 1940 2,237,528 Marasso Apr. 8, 1941 2,393,788 Lofgren Jan. 29, 1946 

